Drowning

We are drowning in snot over here. Early last week Norah picked up one of her cootie colds at school and promptly passed the bug to her brother. Like clock work, two days later I took him in for what I was sure was another ear infection. I was correct, another double. Because this is his third in a short period of time he was put on a much stronger antibiotic. He seemed to get better over the course of the next couple of days; the snot stayed the same but his disposition definitely improved.

Then on Saturday he became a crying, cranky, whiny, snotty hot mess with a fever that hovered around the 101 mark. On Sunday the advice nurse advised us to go urgent care because it sounded like the antibiotic wasn't working. His ears looked pretty good though and the doctor was certain something else was causing the fever. Of course she had no idea what that thing might be. Thank you, $15 co-pay. Lou hung out with BVZ most of the day on Sunday watching football while Norah and I ran around doing errands and helping Bubby get old toys out of the attic. I have never been so glad of her hoarding as I was when I saw my old Sesame Street village yesterday.

When we got home about 6:00, BVZ told me that he had put Lou to bed because he "was burning up," but of course didn't think to check his temperature. I pulled him out of bed and sure enough, 104. We, and by we I mean I, woke up every four hours throughout the night to check on him and dose him with medication, which was very successful in bringing down his fever. He has been very sad and sick, not interested in toys or playing at all. This morning at about 11:00, he was back up to 102 even on Motrin, so the advice nurse advised us to bring him in (shocking). Another $15 co-pay, another report of fine looking ears and no real answer as to the fever other than "it must be viral."

Oh, and this particular antibiotic he is taking has to be refrigerated to remain stable. Someone-and I am not naming any names-left it out last night (okay, it was me), and so it had to be replaced this morning by the pharmacy. Of course our insurance company wouldn't pay for it, so that was another $54.

Things really turned around after his afternoon nap though, and appear to be looking up. He still has a bit of a low grade fever but acting much more like himself. I think I am going to stop calling the advice nurse. She keeps costing me $15.

In Norah news, this is the outfit she dressed herself in this morning. I don't monitor her getting dressed in the morning, basically I just tell her to go pick something out and get herself in it. I just have to tell her it has to be something with sleeves and she can't wear her fancy Christmas dress to school. She does a pretty good job putting it together. So good in fact, that unless I was there to witness it, I would wonder if she belonged to me at all.